Notes for Identification: 'myers' asparagus fern is a spreading perennial herb that has a fine texture with a stiff, upright habit. The habitis quite unlike that of the more common 'sprengerii' fern. This plant grows fairly rapidly and may attain a height of about 2 feet. The true leaves of this fern are scale-like and inconspicuous. The structures that most consider to be the leaves of this plant are actually narrow, light green, leaf-like branchlets called cladophylls. The stems of the asparagus fern emerge directly from the ground and are stiffly erect and have very short branches. These stems are a bit woody and are often armed with sharp spines. The flowers are white or pale pink and occur in axillary racemes that are 1/4 inch long; they are not showy. The bright red berries of this herb, however, are quite showy. general information planting month for zone 9: year roundplanting month for zone 10 and 11: year roundorigin: not native to north americauses: mass planting; container or above-ground planter; groundcover; border; cascading down a wall; suitable for growing indoors; accent availability: generally available in many areas within its hardiness rangedescription height: 1 to 2 feetspread: 2 to 4 feetplant habit: uprightplant density: moderategrowth rate: fasttexture: finefoliage leaf arrangement: alternateleaf type: simpleleaf margin: entireleaf shape: linearleaf venation: none, or difficult to seeleaf type and persistence: evergreenleaf blade length: less than 2 inchesleaf color: greenfall color: no fall color changefall characteristic: not showyflower flower color: whiteflower characteristic: flowers periodically throughout the yearfruit fruit shape: ovalfruit length: less than. 5 inchfruit cover: fleshyfruit color: redfruit characteristic: attracts birdstrunk and branches trunk/bark/branches: typically multi-trunked or clumping stemscurrent year stem/twig color: not applicablecurrent year stem/twig thickness: not applicableculture light requirement: plant grows in part shade/part sun; plantgrows in the shadesoil tolerances: occasionally wet; slightly alkaline; clay; sand;acidic; loamdrought tolerance: moderatesoil salt tolerances: goodplant spacing: 18 to 24 inchesother roots: not applicable winter interest: no special winter interestoutstanding plant: not particularly outstandinginvasive potential: not known to be invasivepest resistance: no serious pests are normally seen on the plantuse and management the asparagus fern may be used as a specimen, border,ground cover, bedding plant, or container plant. It will not cascade over a wall like the 'sprengeri' cultivar because the habit is upright, but could be used as a small, low-growing unclipped hedge or border. It will make a nice accent plant in a small residential landscape or rock garden. In a sunny location indoors it maintains a fairly nice plant for several years. Grow this plant in full sun or partial shade, and plant it in well-drained soil. Keep it irrigated regularly, especially in a container. Asparagus fern may be propagated by seeds and by division of the tubers. Pests and diseases other than mites, none of major concern. source: u. S. Department of agriculture, cooperative extension service, university of florida, ifas